Group 4- Alex long & funny

ALEX BENNO-Email address: a.benno@yahoo.com =0 shocker I know. =]
District number: 6650.....just kidding it's 4490..I think.
Yes I've been getting my "monthly stipened"
I'm still with my first and aparently only host family which is fine they are stellar. Great people. My host rotary club is fine.. just a bunch of older people..meetings are boring..what's new? haha Really though I talked to students here about the things they had to do to be an exchange student and some of them didnt have to do anything but fill out an app. While I clearly remember intense boring training sessions, vigorous applications, alot of rules, alot of deadlines, BLUE INKK, and soul ripping interviews!! bastards.. haha na it wasnt that bad but still a pain in my ass (totally worth it just saying) it just seems like alot of kids got there spots handed to them >=< the other students (that I've met) really have sucky Rotary sponsers and what not (go 6650!). A girl had a problem with her family and they told her to suck it up and to not contact them about it or she would get sent home. and I thought wellll shit I'm glad I have Vicki back at home backing my ass up ;-] It wasn't like her problem was small and insignificant either. ANYWAYS I don't know if my rotary club here really cares and I don't think I've met my counsler and I haven't heard from him/her.. But I haven't put forth an effort to meet them either. I haven't been home sick at all since of been here and I won't be. Ohio sucks and it's cold there. ^_^ The water is effing cold here. Food is yum. I haven't gained weight..yet. I have actually lost weight haha. herrrmm what else. There's alot of trash here..Brasil reminds me of an industrialized Costa Rica...I love Brasil though. The weather is stellar. I hope to visit my friend Xandi (previous inbound in ohio) I don't know when but yeah that should be fun he lives in the deep south..hmm..hahaha ok so there are these girls in my school that are about twelve and either have the memory span of goldfish (which is about 2 seconds if you didnt know, which im sure you did.) or are just brain dead. almost Every day they come up to me and ask me, "where in the US are you from?" and I say "Ohio.."girls-" ohh ya ya ohio..hmm..ya" they walk away and come back about two minutes later and ask the same question and I say "Ohio..near NYC" and they say "oh ya ya right hmmm.." They do this a couple times and I'm about two seconds away from telling them to take there heads out of eachothers asses. But suddenly I think Alex..keep your temper..these nitwits can't help there ignorance for all you know they really might have the memory span of gold fish..wouldn't you feel bad? I thought about it..and no I don't think I would. So they come up to me again blah blah blah and this time I said "Disney land. I'm cinderella...couldn't you tell?" -girls-"SERIOO?? omgshh I knew you looked familularr!!!! woow." I just walked away after that. But seriously? How dumb can people get. And no they weren't mentally challenged or ill. They were just dumb. Im not a bitch I just dont have tolerence or patience for people like that. okay i am a bitch. Whattt else....I reallllly want to go to this SEVEN DAY rave on future beach.. But my host father says he doesn't think its a good idea hahah he is probably right but still that would be gnarleyyyy. okay I'm done I hope I fulfilled all your mandatory thing requirments..if not let me know.

p.s I hate how my spelling has gotten horrible hahahha
and here are some tips for your future outbounds!! bahahaha I will write more sometime but I didnt want to drag this email out foreverrrr. But regardless sorry for not sending it sooner.
tell me what you think.

-Alex Benno


TIPS for future out bounds:
1. If your going to get your family gifts don't go to good will or VDO to get them. They may smile and act like they like the giant stained USA shirt you just gave them but chances are they don't. Go to walmart..just as cheap twice as new.

2. BREAK UP WITH YOUR BFS & GFS!! I'm saying this out of experience. I promise you your exchange year will be 10 times better if you go single. I know you are all teens and you will miss your "babyboopooh" before you miss your parents. But once you realize your in a different country, with foreign, hotter, more intriguing guys/girls throwing themselves at you, your going to forget about your "boo" save the heart break and take your exchange year to the fullest. It may hurt at first but you will get over them quicker than you could have ever imagined. and it will keep you off the damned internet talking to that person and NOT learing the language and culture and NOT making new friends! let them go and if its supposed to work out it will once you get back. I dont want to hear "but but I love them. The have my heart and sould blah blah blah." talk to me when youv been in your host country for more than two months.

3. You will change over your exchange year whether you say you will or not you will!! Except that. Your year abroad will open your eyes to the worlds problems and force you to see that life is bigger than just your small hometown where everyone knows every one. Your going to experience hard almost unbearable times and amazing undescribable moments. You will get through those hard times. no matter how low you think youve gotten I know iv been through alot ask me about it Im easy to relate to. Later you will be thankful for those times because in them you grow, become stronger, and learn.

4. Europeans don't like it when you crack your knuckles, back, neck, etc. it freaks them out.

5. Do not go parading around like some college student on spring break. Not only are you embarrassing yourself your embarrassing your country & your rotary club. Chances are you will get sent home. Before you do anything dumb just please think to yourself "is it really worth it?" I hope you'll see that, one hit or one shot isn't worth, possibly the best year of your life. If your going to do it and I know you will don't be a fucking idiot teen and talk or brag or post pics about it online!!! There are people watching you constantly whether you think so or not. And you just get a reputation not a pat on the back. noone cares how drunk you got or how blazed you were. Your not in Kansas any more. They are impressed by your intelligence and your friendly personality not the bottle of jager you want to take to the face. "LETSSS GETT FUCKKKED UPPPPP!" is more like "LOOK AT ME! MY MOM NEGLECTED ME WHEN I WAS LITTLE AND I THINK IM HARDCORE BUT I KNOW MY PENIS IS ACTUALLY HALF THE SIZE OF MY PINKY AND GETTING YOU DRUNK IS THE ONLY WAY ITS GOING TO GET LOVE." -Alex Benno. Its not attractive and it just reinforces the fact that your an "idiot american" -in their eyes. ;-] think about what you say and do!!!

6. Inform yourself on world issues. Go read a book. Go look at a map. The last thing you want is to go to a country and be asked a thousand questions and you not knowing what the hell they are talking about. so you just sit there with your thumb up your ass. It is really sad when people know more about your native country than you do.

7. Know the climate of your host country. You may live in a warm or cold climate in the U.S but that doesnt mean it's going to be the same. Chances are the country your going to is the complete opposite of where you live now. Enjoy.

8. 90% of europeans dont like you. your an American and they will steryotype you. Your either fat and dumb or your fat dumb and a republican. Don't be upset or put down when you introduce yourself and say you are from the U.S then have that person say oh and turn away. Let them see that your not what they think. Dont force your opinion down their throat. They may force theirs. But then they will realize they are and will notice that they are the assholes not you. =] Alottttt of people will also love you for the onee reason that your a citizen of the U.S.

9. Your a citizen of the United states not just an American- Brasilians are Americans too and they find it affending when you forget that fact. cough cough Southern AMERICA cough.

10. When people ask what country your from your not from America you are from the The United States. They will probably know what your talking about if you say your from America but you will feel that much better when you see them smile at your non idiocy for saying the United States.

11.If your blonde and your going to Southern America. Dont be a dumb blonde. Your hair is a spot light..smile. People are already going to be on your nuts about you being an "American" but your hair will make them feel like they died and went to heaven. really. You will get your own personal poperotzi. I had people asking me for auto graphs and pictures. while some people just took random pictures. ya it sounds funny and cool but its wierd thinking that my face is posted up in someones home. weirrd. So if you want and like that much attention have at it. Im just saying if you dont like attention you need to blend yourself in as well as possible. Blonde hair is not going to do the trick in a crowd of burnettes. oh and they love light skin and pale eyes. *_*

12. the water is cold in Brasil unless you get lucky. Get used to cold showers while you can.

13. forget the world of processed foods and bask in the world of fresh homemade cooking.

14. Save up money for trips during your year abroad now. They are expensive and You will want to go on more than one.

15. You'll hear this again and again...Don't pack your life in your two suitcases! You will probably leave half of it there when you return home. You buy alot over a years time.

16. American straightners dont work in european outlits. get an adapter. or get a new straightner. if it doesnt look like it will fit and if its not the same shape as the outlet then its probably not going to fit. lets go back to preschool..square peg round hole. dont force it. stubborn ass. enough said.

17. learn your host countrys currency and it's value compared with the U.S dollar.

18. A couple of days before you leave go to a currency exchange place and get that out of the way.

19. never carry your full amount of money in one place on you.

20.-especially for ppl going to brasil- dont carry your passport with you unless absolutley needed. do not flash your money around be descret and count your change. oh and shiney items/jewelry is like painting a target on your forehead or wearing a sign that says "MUGG ME!" dont flash your electionic devices around. they will be stolen of forcefully taken. i hope you run fast ;-]

21. Encounter a skin head. Act natural. Dont speak if you dont need to. As far as they know your a deaf mute. ;-] or even a pureblooded native like them except your not looking for a fight..hermmm DONT SPEAK! i dont care how well you speak their language you have an accent.

22. Your parents dont need a play by play. This is your exchange year not there's if you want to buy an assless bikini buy one dont ask your mother in the states permission. The most they need to know is that your alive and well. A monthly call is a blessing. Once a month is alot.. Your friends havent forgotten you and they arent dieing with out you. They are your friends they will be there when you get back. The real question is will you want those friends when you get back? i know what your thinking..im a crazy straight forward bitch with horrible grammer that doesnt know what shes talk about..right? Just wait and you will see the light. Drama in Ohio is exactly that Drama in OHIO where are you? far far away. Stop worrying about whos banging who and what drugs were found in whos locker or what girl your most like like if not already soon to be cheating boyfriend smiled at. WASTE OF TIME!

23. Take your year abroad for granted and you will regret it later. unless your only there for a teeny little while. but still why go through all of that loongg mess and work just to fly home after a month?

24. If you are having second thoughts about going. look at all your options of countrys and realllly think about what would be best for you. if your having second thoughts still and close to your dead line.. Sig will tell you dont go. I will tell you Take the chance it may change everything. Unless they aree biiggg second thoughts. stay home in your sheltered uncorrupted perfect worlds. its warmer there.

25. Airports suck. and they should make a foreigners airport guide for idiots. but i dont think they do and if they do great go apply yourself with one. It may save you time/pressure/tears/and that all too cheery visit to the customers serivce desk with people who dont know what the hell your saying and who act to busy to have time for you. Find someone who speaks english to help you.

26. Yes we no you are pronouncing the word the same exact way they are but dont get frustrated they find pride in cratiquing your "poor pronounciation" into something they find brilliant (which they will take credit for) and yet it is exactly the same.
ex. You-"Como vai voce (vosay)?" (how are you) someforeignametocleverformetothinkof-"What?" You-(now a little unsure of yourself) "Como vai voce?" SFNTCFMTTO-"ohhhh como vai vosaayyy." you- "isnt that what i said?" SFNTCFMTTO-" No you said vo seeyyy." you-" oh okay then como vai voSAYY?" SFNTCFMTTO- "No its said like VO-SAYYYYYY!!!" *_* you- "Oh como vai VOSAYY!" SFNTCFMTTO-" yess very good!"
this will happen more than once.

okay I could go on but this is enough for now I suppose
If any of you have quesitons feel free to contact me at a.benno@yahoo.com

TCHAUUUUUU

p.s incase you all were wondering..no i never called any of my boyfriends babyboopoo.